Windshield wiper



Dec. 10, 1929., R. E. GEARHAR-r 1,738,884

WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed Jun@ 27. wav 2 sheets-sheet 1 Lw F0 E adriaan* n ATTORNEYS.

Dec. l0, 1929.

R. E. GEARHART 1,738,884

WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed June 27, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 I N VEN TOR Patented Dec. 1o, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOY' E. GEARHABT, OFVKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO THOMAS W. LEE, F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI WINDBHIELD WIPER Application flled June 27, 1927. Serial No. 201,701.

This invention relates to antifrost wind shield wipers and my object is to provide means whereby a solution may be intermittently or constantly fed to a wiper arm for '5 distrlbution over the glass. Diiiiculty has been heretofore encountered on account of the :fact that in stormy weather it is impossible to keep sucient solution on the glass to avoid the formation of frost. 1t A still further Objectis to produce a heated wind shield wiper which alone or in combination with the distribution of liquid may be caused to prevent the formation of frost.

With the general objects named in view,

the invention consists 1n certain novel and useful features of cbmbination and organization of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be lfully understood reference is to be had'to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of an automatically operated wind shield wiper embodyin the invention as it will appear when secure in position to the upper edge of the wind shield.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front view of the device with the front casing cover removed and partly in section to disclose parts otherwise hidden.

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fi ure 3.

igure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the cam mechanism for the intermittent feed of anti-freeze solution. t

Figure 6 is a reduced end view ofthe wiper arm.

Figure 7 is an enlarged 'section taken through the wiper arm.

In the said drawings, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 indicates the upper end of a wind shield frame or the upper part of the frame of the car closely adjacent the glass, and 2, 3 and 4, respectively, indicate the motor or driving casin the :feed or operating casing, and a liqui supply tank, the latter being supported in any suitable manv ner on a bracket or other frame 5 secured to '50' the operating casing 3 and having a filling opening 4", the entire structure being secured to the frame 1 by means of bolts 6 carried by casing 2 and tank 4 as illustrated, The

o erating casing 3 is provided with a remova le face plate 3. 55 Secured tothe casin 3 and registering with an opening in the ack wall thereof is a tubular member 7 which is formed with a reduced tubular extension portion 8 projecting through the frame 1 and held in position 60 by nuts 9. J ournaled fork oscillation within the tube 81s a hollow shaft 10, the inner end of which within the casing 2 is provided with -an openmg permanently receivmg the ared end of a liquid feed tube 11, the liquid be- 05 ing fed to said tube by a cap-piece 12 held under the pressure of'fa spring arm 13 with its bevelled face in liquid-tight relation with the bevelled end of the hollow shaft as illustrated. To the outer end of the hollow shaft 10, a two-piece wiper arm clamp member 14 is secured, the corresponding end of the tube 11 w1thin member 14 being engaged by a rubber tube or the like 15 leading downwardly to the wiper arm. From a consideration of the parts described, it will be evident that if liquid is fed to the ca -piece 12 it will flow through the tube 11 to t e wiper arm and that such feeding may occur while the wiper'is in operation.

Although any desired means may be utilized for oscillating the shaft 10, I have illustrated a bifurcated lever 16 between the legs of which is received the end of a reciprocatory lever 17 operated in any suit- 85 able manner by automatically or manually operated mechanism within the casing 2.

In order to supply liquid to the cap-piece 12, a tube 17is connected thereto, the other end of said tube having communlcation with a Well 18 which is fitted within the casing 3 and is fed by gravity with liquid :from a tube 19 in communication with the liquid supply tank 4. f T

To rovide for the intermittent or continnous eed `of liquid through the passageways Just described, the operating lever 16 1s proA vided with a pivoted spring advanced dog 20, which is prevented from moving beyond a predetermined point by a stop 21 carried by 10 -1 cated and the lever, said dog u n each oscillation of the wind shieldI sha t, advancing astar Awheel 22 one step said star wheel being Journaled on a stub s aft 23 having a bearing at 5 one end in a recess in the housin 3 and having its o posite end received wit in the bore of a ho low shaft 24 carried by the cover` plate 3'* of said casin 3. -With the parts as illustrated the stub s aft 23 is revolved once 1'0 for each eight oscillations of the wind shield wi er arm.

he liquid well 18 is closed at its uper end b a stuing box -25 and exten ng throug said stuiling box is a valve operating 15 rod 26bearin at its lower end a evelled valve 27 fitted in the beveled lower end of the well 18 and havingla downwardly-proj ecting guide stem 28, t e valve being normall closed b an expansion spring 29 within the so well. e other end of the rod 26 is bifurpivoted within said bifurcation and extending through a slot 30 in the top of the casing 3 is an operating member 31, it being noted that said operating member 31 z5 is normally held in vertical position under the action of a coil s ring 32 on the rod 26, and being formed wit a laterally projecting `liftin foot 33 overlying the stub shaft 23 and t e end of the tubular shaft 24. For inso termittently openin the valve 27 once in each revolution of t eparts as illustrated, the stub shaft 23 is formed with a cam 34 underlying the lifting foot 33, it being evident that once in each eight oscillations of the $5 wind shield wiper arm, the valve 27 will be opened to permit a predetermined quantity of liquid to iiow from the well 18.

As means must be provided to prevent operation of the star wheel 22 from opening the 40 valve 27 in warm weather or'when it is not desired to use the liquid, the hollow shaft 24 is formedadjacent its end with a cam 35, and exteriorly of the device carries a manuallyl operable knob or handle 36, whereby when the shaft 24 is turned in the roper direction, the cam 35 will strike the epending member 31 and cause it to move rearwardly 4around its pivot a inst the action of the spring 32, the liftm foot 33 thus being move entirely out o the path of travel of the cam 34. As it ma be desirable under certain conditions to l ood the wiper with liquid said hollow shaft 24 is also formed on its end with a cam 37 whereb7 upward pressure may be applied to the li ting foot 33 to o and maintain the valve 27 in open position, the liquid being fed either constantly in a small quantity or intermittently in a large quantity, or 1f the cam is moved suiii- 00 ciently far the liquid is constantly fed in a large quantity.

he wind shield wiper arm comprises a channel shaped clamping member 38 having a pair of ears 39 on its rear face and preferably intermediate its length between which one end of a resilient supporting strap 40 is secured so that the wiper arm may accommodateitself to the angle of the wind shield,

the other end of said ystralp 40 resting against the member 14 and being eld in position by a clamp vplate and screw 41, the ed es of the clamp plate embracing the sides o the member 14 so that the strap 40 will not shift from position.

Fitted side by side within the channel 38 y 42 is rovided with a series of openings 46 where y-liquid may escape for penetration into the enveloping swab 45 as will be readily understood.

As under certain conditions it may be desirable or necessary to heat the swab to assist in the remqval of ice or the like on the glass or to insure the ready and quick iiow of an antifrceze mixture which might have a tendency to coagulate in cold weather, the heating arm 44 is su plied, and in order to heat said element, it eing understood that the metal parts are grounded to the frame as customary, an electricwire 47 is connected to the element and said wire asses up through the member 14 and throug the tube 10. At a convenient point in the length of the tube 10, preferably withinthe enlarged ortion 8 of the bearing, an opening 48 is ormed through which the wire extends and is fixed to a brass or other conducting ring 49, carried by an insulating collar 50 secured to the tube 19. Current is transmitted to the ring and consequently to the heating element through a spring advanced carbon brush 51 connected to a wire 52 leading to the batter or other suitable source of power. It will e evident that a switch and rheostat may be provided for the control and regulation of the current.

From the above description it will be apparent that while I have produced a device possessing all the features of advantage pointed out, it will be understood that l reserve the right to make such modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A wind shield wiper comprising a wi er arm adapted to distribute liquid, a hol ow' shaft for oscillating said arm and having its bore communicating therewith, a liquid suppllylank, and a tube connecting said shaft and ta 2. A wind shield wiper comprising a wiper arm adapted to distribute liquid, a shaft for oscillating said arm, valve-operating means actuated in timed relation to the oscillation of said shaft, a liquid supply tank, a tube titl connecting said hollow wiper arm and liquid supply tank, and a valve actuated by said timed valve-operating means for controlling the flow of liquid through said tube.

3. A wind shield wiper comprising a wiper arm adapted to distribute liquid, a shaft :for oscillating said arm, Valve-operatin`g means actuated in timedl relation to th'e oscillation of said shaft, a liquid supply tank, a tube connecting said wiper arm and liquid supply tank, a valve actuatedby said timed means lor controlling the flow of liquid through said tube, and means for preventing actuation of said valve.

4l. A wind shield wiper comprising a wiper arm adapted to distribute liquid, a shaft for oscillating said arm, valve-operating means actuated in timed relation to the oscillation of said shaft, a liquid supply tank, a tube connecting Asaid wiper arm and liquid supply tank, a valve actuated by said timed valveoperating means for controllingthe flow of liquid through said tube, and manually operable means for maintaining said timed valve-operating means against operation and for opening and closing said valve.

5. A wind shield wiper comprising a wiper arm adapted to distribute liquid, a hollow shaft for oscillating said arm and having its bore in communication with the wiper arm, a liquid supply tank, a connection between saidv tank and hollow shaft, a valve controlling said connection, and manually operable means for opening or closing said valve. Y

6. A wind shield wiper arm comprising a liquid distributing member and a heating element arranged in abutting relation, a swab Venclosing said members, and an oscillating arm carrying said swab. l

7. A wind shield wiper arm comprising a liquid distributing member, a heating element, and a swab. v 4

8. In a wind shield wiper, the combination with a liquid supply7 tank, of a wiper arm adapted to distribute liquid on a wind shield and having a liquid supply tube extending to and connected to said tank, and means to heat the li uid.

9. wind shield wi r comprising a wiper arm adapted to distri ute liquid, a shaft for oscillating said arm, a liquid suppl tank, a tube connecting said wiper arm an liquid supply tank, and means operated in timed relation to said shaft to control the flow of liquid from said tank.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ROY E. GEARHART. 

